Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin killed (NFR)

GW · Post by GW » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:19 pm

BRISBANE, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition, Australian media said. He was 44.

Irwin was filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in northeastern Queensland state when the accident occurred, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on its Web site.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said Irwin was diving near Low Isles Reef near the resort town of Port Douglas, about 1,260 miles north of the state capital of Brisbane.

Queensland ambulance service spokesman Bob Hamil confirmed that a diver had been killed by a stingray off Lowe Isles Reef but refused to say who the victim was until relatives had been notified.

A rescue helicopter was sent from the nearby city of Cairns, and paramedics from it confirmed the diver's death.

"The probable cause of death is stingray strike to the chest," Hamil said.

Staff at Australia Zoo, Irwin's zoo in southern Queensland, said they had heard the reports but could not comment.

Irwin is famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter," which was first broadcast in Australia in 1992 and has aired around the world on the Discovery channel.

He rode his image into a feature film, and developed the Australia Zoo as a tourist attraction.

Irwin had received some negative publicity in recent years. In January 2004, he stunned onlookers at the Australia Zoo reptile park by carrying his 1-year-old son into a crocodile pen during a wildlife show. He tucked the infant under one arm while tossing the 13-foot reptile a piece of meat with the other.

Authorities declined to charge Irwin for violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken.

Irwin was also seen as a vocal critic of wildlife hunts in Australia. The federal government recently dropped plans to allow crocodile safaris for wealthy tourists in the Northern Territory following his vehement objections.

Irwin told the Australian television program "A Current Affair" that "killing one of our beautiful animals in the name of trophy hunting will have a very negative impact on tourism, which scares the living daylights out of me."

He is survived by his American wife Terri, from Oregon, and their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.

hogbeastbassin · Post by **hogbeastbassin** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 3:14 am

This is sad news. News of anyones death is sad. I felt bad too because about a week ago I told my friend that I was suprised that the crazy sob was still alive and with all digits and limbs. A stingrays barb right in the chest is no pleasent way to go.

May condolences to his friends and family.

Calistar · Post by **Calistar** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 7:24 am

Crakey! that is sad news.

Hey, did you ever see the show when steve was searching for the western diamondback and he was up in some desert (probably in Arizona)? Anyway, he walks up on this huge rock and hears a rattlesnake underneath it (he can hear it, can't see it), so he REACHES under it as far as he can all the way to his arm-pit and pulls the reptile out.

or the one when he was messin' with a cobra and it spit its venom right on to his sunglasses!

Too bad about his passing. Steve was crazy but he seemed like a genuine guy who had a real passion for what he did.

RIP Croc Hunter.

bahlzar · Post by **bahlzar** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:12 am

greg i did see that episode and you could tell the camera guys were a bit scared also..i believe you could hear steve tell his camera crew to get outta here.... he was awesome...

Andy Giannini · Post by **Andy Giannini** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:10 am

He was great.

I have a bad habit of digging my way into beaver dens, crawling inside etc. One of my directors got pissed at me over it and told me I was not the Croc Hunter for Christsake.

I thought it was a great compliment.

Rest in peace.

A.G.

FISHorDIE · Post by **FISHorDIE** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 10:07 am

I enjoyed watching him. Definitely sad, he had so much energy.

g-man · Post by **g-man** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:22 am

wow, sad news. i loved his show.

Jerkbait0071 · Post by **Jerkbait0071** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 11:32 am

Very sad news indeed. I loved this guys show, did anyone see the show when the little lizzard bit him on the nose? My thoughts are with his wife and child.

Fish Chris · Post by **Fish Chris** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 1:06 pm

This is very sad and tragic indeed. I have watched Steve "The Croc Hunter" Irwin for years. I thought he was great. Knowledgeable. Engaging. But what I really liked to see the most, was this guys absolute passion for wildlife, and life in general.

The world will suffer his loss. But the fact is, this guy lived his passion to the fullest degree ! Then, when his day finally came, it was in a most unexpected, and untimely way.

I think the lesson to be learned here is this:

Find your passion in life, and go at it full steam ahead, because when your numbers up, that's that. I'm certain he had few regrets, and I just hope that I can go out the same way.

God bless him and his family,
Fish